It takes just one errant flick of the hand. Your magnificent winged eyeliner ruined with one wrong move. Your perfectly blended foundation destroyed because you blinked and somehow managed to knock the mascara wand against your nose. Your luscious red lip now a hot mess because your cell phone rang while applying the finishing touches. Before you remove your makeup and start over, just take a deep breath. One of these little tricks can save the day.

The Fix: So you blinked too hard or accidentally swiped the mascara wand someplace other than your eyelashes. First thing's first - leave it there! When you immediately try to remove mascara while it's still wet, you'll only make a bigger mess. Just finish up your makeup in other areas while you let the mascara mistake dry. Then use a clean spoolie to lightly scrub the smudge. Since the mascara is dry, it will just flake right off without even disrupting the makeup already underneath!

The Fix: You've already applied your foundation and concealer, but after a run-in with your blush brush, you've got cheeks that make you look like a clown. Instead of wiping it all off and starting again, just use a damp makeup sponge to blend additional foundation into the blush to mute the blush without requiring a full application.

The Fix: Getting that perfectly even, smooth cat eye is really tough, but even the most basic eyeliner application can be tricky. Fixing this blunder will require a little bit of touching up after, but not all is lost. Just use a pointed Q-tip and dip in an eye makeup remover that doesn't leave a residue, like Maybelline Expert Eyes 100% Oil Free Eye Makeup Remover. If you need to remove the eyeliner with a bit more precision, several brands like E.L.F. make makeup remover pens.

The Fix: Use a dry Q-tip to pat away the eye shadow first. Then apply a matte beige eye shadow on top like one of the light shades found in the Urban Decay Naked Basics palette.

The Fix: Use a cleansing wipe like Garnier Clean+ The Refreshing Remover Cleansing Towelettes to carefully remove the lip liner where you messed up (or you can use the makeup remover pen, if you've got one). Then, reapply the color where necessary. Follow up by applying concealer on the outside of the lip line using a fine lip brush. This will not only cover up any leftover smeared lipstick but also will help the new application stay in place!

Photography: What are your most common makeup mistakes? Leave us a comment in the section below!

Joshua M. Shelton
Model: Carlyn Bathe